First New Trike...

It doesn't seem possible that this little being who wasn't even born at the start of this year is riding his first tricycle at the end.

It even has a bell!
He can't quite reach the petals but that's okay, that's what moms are for.
Look at those cute little fingers!
Yep, I think this is just the beginning...I look forward to seeing what he is doing next year!
Thanks Aunt Annie and Uncle Tony...a-hem, I mean Santa.

Look Who's Snowboarding!

Mangiare!

Luke's first taste of linguine and meatballs...

I think he likes it!!!

Merry Christmas!!

From our home to yours!

Thanks Anne and Tony for sharing your Christmas with us. And thank you for cleaning our garage and for playing with the boys. Thank you for spoiling us rotten. Thanks for breakfast...and lunch. Thanks for sharing your PS3. Thank you for changing diapers and helping clean the kitchen. Thanks for making hold overs. Thank you for dressing up as elves on Christmas. Thanks for everything!!! We love you!!!!!

Winter Play

Christmas Ninja!

I got to open a present early this year. Nick bought me a new winter coat since my other one blew off the roof of the 4-Runner the last time we went skiing. Anyway, he isn't a big gift wrapper. He simply tied the bag with a big red bow...fine by me. Moments after opening my gift, Jay had the ribbon and a pair of scissors. I had no idea what he was doing. I just thought he wanted to cut the ribbon. Turns out he wanted to cut eye holes in the ribbon so he could become a ninja!

How did I not guess that?

Winter Garden-A-Glow

One of my FAVORITE events during winter is Winter Garden-A-Glow. The Idaho Botanical gardens light up with millions, if not, thousands of tiny lights!

I try to go as often as possible. This year, we got to take Anne and Tony. I think everyone needs to experience this light show extravaganza!!! Here they are warming their hands by the fire...isn't that cozy?


Anne and Tony are newlyweds...need I say anything more?
The line for Santa was too long so we had to settle for Sacagawea.

Faith

by Andrea Ravella

For by grace are you saved through faith. Faith is supernatural. Confidence is not faith. Faith comes from above. we can not manufacture faith. God has to release it to us. Don't mix up confidence confidence with God's supernatural faith. Hebrews 11:1. Faith gives credence and substance to my hope, what i hope for. How do we know Christianity is true? Faith is the substance. Faith says God is real. Faith is unique to Christianity. Faith gives a confidence beyond all comprehension that what we believe is true. Faith says there really is an invisible world, there really is a God. If Satan could shake your belief in God, it would cause the foundation of your faith to crumble. Faith is an eye that helps us see there is another world, a spiritual world. Faith helps us see the invisible now in this life. Faith is a firm belief in something for which there is no physical proof. Faith is the ability to everything that does not exist in reality. Faith makes sense out of life. How the world began and how it will end and where did man come from. Faith opens the door to the only true way to salvation.

In Loving Memory...

Today, I am sad. I am sad for this world for yesterday it lost a bright light. My friend Andrea passed away. Some might take this to mean that she lost her battle with cancer. She didn't. She won. Yesterday, as her husband said to me on the phone, cancer died, she lives on in heaven, basking in the glorious light of her Lord and Savior. She won because to the very end of her life on earth she lived. She never lost faith. She never felt sorry for herself, she never asked why, she never took one moment for granted. She won because of her living faith. She was a beautiful example to everyone she knew and so many she didn't what Christianity truly looks like. What love looks like.

I am so deeply honored to have been her friend. I am honored that she and Jim are Luke's Godparents. I am honored that they trusted me enough to take me on this journey with them. So while the world is a little darker without Andrea, I take comfort knowing her light shines in all those she came in contact with. Her light shines in Jim, Nic and Anthony and all of her friends and family who love her and all those who never even met her but were touched by her story.

"Love is patient,

love is kind.

It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It is not rude,

it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil

but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perserveres.

...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love."

1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13

Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree...

...how lovely are your branches...

He's Making a List...

...and checking it twice.

Gonna find out who's naughty...

(Yes, that is wrapping paper in his hand)

or nice.

Santa Claus is coming to town!